Locating device for articles in a container



Sept. 26, 1961 c. E. ADDIS 3,001,639

LOCATING DEVICE FOR ARTICLES IN A CONTAINER Filed Dec. 12, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 26, 1961 c ADDIS LOCATING DEVICE FOR ARTICLES IN A CONTAINER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec.

FIG 2 FIG4 Sept. 26, 1961 c. E. ADDIS LOCATING DEVICE FOR ARTICLES IN A CONTAINER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec.

United States Patent 3,001,639 LOCATING DEVICE FOR ARTICLES IN A CONTAINER Charles Edmund Addis, Birmingham, England, assignor to Bulpitt and Sons Limited, Birmingham, England, a British company ljiled Dec. 12, 1956, Ser. No. 627,871 Claims priority, application Great Britain Dec. 17, 1955 4 Claims. (Cl. 20646) This invention relates to the location of articles in a container. In the packaging of delicate or fragile articles it is often necessary to locate the article positively in the container but at the same time support it resiliently.

The invention consists in providing in a container cating means comprising a relatively stifi" locating memher having a bearing portion to engage an article to be supported and a first seating provided with a resilient peripheral ring which engages the locating member and is adapted to engage a second seating provided in or on the wall of the container, the arrangement being such that upon axial compression of the ring, for insertion and retention in the second seating, the ring is expanded laterally, both radially inwards to grip the locating member and radially outwards against the wall of the container.

The invention further consists in means for locating an article in a container, having a mouth provided with a closure, comprising inner means for resiliently supporting the article out of contact with the container wall opposite the mouth and outer locating means including a rigid locating member having a bearing portion to engage an article to be supported and a resilient ring of substan-, I

tially rectangular or quadrilateral cross-section of which the inward edge of the bore of the ring engages a seating on the locatingmember and the diagonally opposite peripheral edge is engageable with an inwardly directed shoulder or recess inside the mouth by exerting inward axial pressure upon the ring, the arrangement being such that the article is resiliently located axially between the inner and outer locating means and the end of the article near the mouth of the container is resiliently located radially by the outer locating means. 7

Emobidments of the invention in sealed metal containers in which articles are to be stored in a partial vacuum or at sub-atmospheric pressure will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a sectional elevation of one form of sealed metal container with locating means according to the invention. FIGURE 2 is a enlarged fragmentary view of part 0 FIGURE 1. FIGURE 3 is an incomplete sectional elevation ofan other sealed metal container with modified locating means.

FIGURES 4 and 5 are an enlarged fragmentary eleva- In all the illustrated embodiments the sealed metal conv tainers comprise a seamless cylindrical body 10 made as a deep drawing in sheet metal or impact extrusion, an inner lid 11 and an outer protective cover 12 screwed on to a thread in the body 10. The inner lid -11 has a sealing ring 13 to make air-tight engagement with a rim 14 around the mouth of the body 10 and a rubber bung 15 closing an aperture through the inner lid 11 and provided with a tongue 16 to enable the bun-g to be pulled out easily in order to break the vacuum and enable the inner lid 11 to be removed. The rim 14 is formed by a head or ice 2 inturned portion forming an internal shoulder or recess 17.

In the container of FIGURES 1 and 2 an article 18 to be stored is supported by a rubber grommet 19 resting on a shoulder 20 formed at an intermediate point in the wall of the body 10. The end of the article 18 extending towards the mouth of the container is of reduced diameter. A substantially rigid sheet-metal disc-shaped locating member 21 has a central opening 22 to receive the upper end of the article 18. In the central opening 22 is secured a resilient element 23 of rubber or like material which may be shaped to suit the end of the article 18 or may be a thin disc which is deformable to the end shape of the article on packing the article in the container. Alternatively a cushioning ring surrounding the projecting end may be used. The resilient element 23 is secured to the locating member 21 by a sheet-rnetal retaining cup 24. The central portion of the locating member 21 around the opening 22 is raised to form a radially directed chamfered shoulder 25 with a surrounding peripheral flange 26.

When an article such as 18 has been put in the container thelocating member is placed with the resilient element 23 in contact with the projecting end part of the article and a resilient ring 27 made of rubber is placed on the peripheral flange 26. In its free state the resilient ring 27 may be substantially rectangular but is preferably quadrilateral in cross-section with its outer surface slightly tapering. It readily enters the mouth of the container with its smaller end face inwards and fits easily on the locating member with the inner edge of its bore against the seating formed by the shoulder 25 and with its inner face against the flange 26.

The resilient ring is then pressed axially into the container until the outer peripheral edge has been forced past the internal shoulder or recess :17 which then retains the ring in compressed condition in which its crosssection is substantially rectangular. Diagonally opposed corners in the cross-section of the ring are urged against the locating member 21 and the inturned shoulder or recess 17. The ring 27 is thus caused to grip the locating member 21 and walls of the body 10 so spacing the peripheral edge of the locating member from the container walls. "In urging the ring into position the resilient element 23 is stretched over the projecting end of the article which is thereby gripped. The article is therefore supported resiliently against axial movement by being clamped between the locating member 21 and the rubber grommet 19 which spaces the article away from the container wall opposite the mouth. The end of the article having the projecting portion is supported resiliently against -'lateral movement by the locating member 21 and theresilient ring 27. 'To remove the resilient ring 27 a lug 28 may be formed on itsinner and upper edge which when pulled radially inwards distorts the ring and releases it from the outer seating.

In the embodiment of FIGURES 3, 4 and 5 the loeating means comprises a sheet-metal locating member 29 having, if necessary, to provide clearance for an article .30 to be stored in the container, a central opening 31. The locating member 29 has a shoulder 32 and surrounding peripheral flange 33 similar to the shoulder 25 and flange 26 of the preceding embodiment. The locating member 29 has a peripheral flange 54 which is directed axially but is slightly inclined towards the axis. The portion of the locating means which bears on the article 30 is a tubular collar 34 of plastic, polythene for example, which is a push-in fit in the locating member 29 and is shaped at the inner end to seat on the article 30. The article 30 is supported by a rubber grommet 19 resting on a shoulder 20 as in the preceding embodiment.

A resilient retaining ring 35 like the retaining ring 2% f the preeeding-embodimenc andfittedinas similar manner has in the free state: a slightly tapering external surface as shown on the left-hand side of FIGURE 3 andin 4, forming an acute-edge to-engage the shoulder 17. i

Toensure that the innermost part of the container is properly evacuated a positive air path is provided to it from thespace immediately inside the inner lid '1-1 to which the evacuating connectionis made. As part of) this path the-collar 34- has a groove 37 extending in an ax al direction which opens into an annular space 38 formed between the outerend of the collar; and the slightly inclined peripheral flange 54: In the flange 33 a hole 39' ispierced larger in diameter-than the wall thickness of the collar 34. This hole 39' connects the annular space 38' to the interior of the collar 34 and through thecentral opening31 or: some other: opening through-the locating member 29- to the-space: inwardsof? the lid 11 everrwhen the retaining: ring 27' is in;place-.V

The container: shown in FIGURE 6 is intended to. receive anarticle 40' of generally-cylindrical: shape and having an annular flange 44 nearits outer end. The

least one axially extending groove in the outer wall of the-collar; thecovermember having-atleast one-opening therein to provide a passageway from the groove to the interior space of the collar and a vent opening disposed substantially .centrally thereof, the container having means forminga shoulder internally thereof, spacedfrom the cover-member; a, resilient: member seated on the cover. member. and 'hayingits periphery engageable with the innerwalloffthe container and axially compressedbearticle rests on a rubber base ring41- and the locating means comprises a collar 42 of plastic such-asip'olythene having a recess 43' at its inner-endto receive the flange 44 on which it is held with. asnap-on. engagement by small angularly spaced'internal arcuate ribs 45; Axially; extending angularly spaced internal ribs 46ionthec0llar: 42 form shoulders inside the recess 43; to, hear on the. article 40; Inthis-example-a seating 47 is-formeddirectly: on the collar 4210 receive a resilient: retaining-ling48"of. similar shape in the free state to-the. ring 352 of: the; embodiment of FIGURES 3, 4i and 5'. When the ring: 48.:is placed'in position on the seating it"rests upon'there entrant seating 47 as intheprevious embodiments but when the ring is forced-axiallyinwards to engage the:

shoulder 17' the cross-section of the ring is: disturbed." so that the ring bears on 3112011181 salient: portion 499111 addition=tobearing on' the rerentrant: seating=49 t A shallow-groove 50sis formed axially; in; the outer edgeof the retaining ring- 48t and similargrooves: 5,1: in:-

the outer surface of" the base ring 411' to ensure that; the whole interior of the container atthe: same: subatmosphericpres's'ure.

Although. in the embodiments; describedsubstantially rectangular 'or quadrilateral section resilient: rings have beenvused; in certain casesrings-of elliptical, circular,- or other cross-sectionmay be preferable.

'I-he shoulder or recessforming axseatingon thezbodyr for the'resilienttring instead: of being-formed: by anin turned edge at: the rim ofthe'. body mays'be-formedz inza-l variety: of 'way's; for example by;arecess inrthe wall'ofithe container or by spacedlate'ral flanges or'ledgesin' or on the walls of'the container projecting radially-,inwardsand straddling the-flat faces of theringor by.-one suchtflauge or ledge, engaging a portion of the outerperiphery ;of-' the, ring diagonally ordiametricallyopopsed in. the crosssectionofthe ring to the portion= engaging the: seating on; thelocating member.

I claim: t l. in a container for supporting an article-therein, a rigid tubular collar surrounding the article and-havingan inwardly extendingshoulder to support said collar on the article, arigid'cover memberv extending across, the collar adjacent the container opening and having a peripheral flange in. engagement withthe, outenwall ofithe, collar, at

tween the shoulder and the cover member.

2. A device inaccordance With claim 1 in which the diameter of; the covermember is; greater thanthat of the collar and the peripheral flangeof the cover is inclined inwardly to engage the collar.

3; Ina: container, means resiliently supporting an article therein spaced from-thewalls thereof against axialand lateralmovernent:with-respect to thecontainer-wallscomprising a: resilient supporting member located within the container distant from the container opening, out of contactwiththe container and engageable with the articletoibesupported; a. rigid locating member located withinthecontaineradjacent the. container opening and having an annular surface-facing saidopening, said annular surface having its marginal portion depressed to form'a seat, an annular. resilient member separate from said locating member inp'eripheral engagement with theinner wall of said container and p'ositionedon said seat, a rigidannularshoulder: member withinthe container between said locating member and thecontainer opening, said shoulder member being concentricwithand secured to the container-wall and, having an axially inwardly facing surface, said resilient member having been inserted betweensaid seat and saidinwardlyfacing surface by deformation of its cross-section whereby said resilient member is axiallycompressed betweensaid inwardly facing surface and said seat.

4. In a container for supporting an article therein, a relatively rigid-locating member located within the con- 3 tainen and having'a annular surface facingthecontainer opening, means on said locatingmember engageable with the article tobe supported-and centering the article with respecttothe locating member, said locating member being formed separately'from the walls of said container, a rim, a rigid annular shoulder member within and adjacent the container opening and 'spacedfrom said annular surface formed by are-entrant extension of said rim, saidshoulder member beingconcentric with and secured to the container wall and-having an axially inwardly facing surface, an annularresilient-member separate from said locating memben seated on said annular surface of the locating member and having its periphery engageable with-theinner wall of said container, said resilient memberrhaving been inserted between said inwardly facing surface and said annular surface by deformation of its cross-section, whereby said resilient member is axially compressed between said inwardly facing surface and said annulan surface.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED; STATES PATENTS 

